Biomedical subjects

Shinji Sakurai

Publications and source records attributed to Shinji Sakurai.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Fibroblast growth factor 8 expression in breast carcinoma: associations with androgen receptor and prostate-specific antigen expressions.

Recent experimental data have clearly demonstrated that fibroblast growth factor (FGF)8 plays a key role in the development of human prostate and breast cancers. However, little is known about the FGF8 expression profile in human breast cancer specimens. In this study, we analyzed FGF8 expression in 78 surgically resected specimens of breast cancer using an immunohistochemical method. In total, FGF8 expression was found in 40 (51.3%) of the breast carcinomas. FGF8 expression was not associated with any of the general clinicopathological parameters, including age, tumor size, histological grade, and histological type. In addition, there was no correlation between FGF8 expression and either c-erbB-2 overexpression or the status of the axillary lymph-node metastasis, both of which have been established as important prognostic factors in breast carcinomas. While no significant association was found between FGF8 expression and estrogen- or progesterone-receptor status, it is of interest that FGF8 expression was significantly associated with androgen-receptor status and the expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), one of the androgen-regulated proteins, in human breast carcinomas. These associations support the reported in vitro data demonstrating the regulation of FGF8 by androgens, and also suggest that PSA may be a useful marker for patients with FGF8-expressing breast carcinomas.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Three-dimensional kinetic analysis of side-foot and instep soccer kicks.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the kinetic aspects of side-foot and instep soccer kicks to understand the different mechanics underlying the two kicks. METHODS: The motions of both kicks were captured using a three-dimensional cinematographic technique. The kicking leg was modeled as a three-link kinetic chain composed of thigh, shank, and foot, from which joint torques and angular velocities were computed. RESULTS: The ball velocity of the side-foot kick (23.4 +/- 1.7 m x s(-1)) was significantly slower than that of the instep kick (28.0 +/- 2.1 m.s(-1)). Significant differences were also observed between the two kicks for the magnitude of hip external rotation torque (56 +/- 12 N.m in the side-foot kick; 33 +/- 8 N.m in the instep kick) and hip external rotation angular velocity (11.1 +/- 2.4 rad x s(-1) in the side-foot kick; 6.0 +/- 2.0 rad x s(-1) in the instep kick). CONCLUSION: These results indicated that to hit the ball with the medial side of the foot, a complicated series of rotational motions are required for the side-foot kick. The hip external rotation torque dominantly exhibited in the side-foot kick caused the clockwise rotation of the thigh-shank plane at the later stage of kicking. This may allow the hip external rotation motion to increase directly the forward velocity of the side foot, with which players can squarely impact the ball.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Atrophic gastritis, Epstein-Barr virus infection, and Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The developmental process of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC) has not been clearly demonstrated, especially in its relation to intestinal metaplasia and epithelial EBV infection.METHODS: Gastritis and intestinal metaplasia was histologically evaluated in non-neoplastic gastric mucosa that surrounded early carcinoma of EBVaGCs ( n = 23) and EBV-negative gastric carcinomas (GCs) (intestinal type, n = 139; diffuse type, n = 44). Helicobacter pylori infection was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. EBV infection in the gastric mucosa was examined by both RNA probe in situ hybridization (ISH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the BamHI-W region of EBV DNA, the latter of which was applied to the microdissected mucosa.RESULTS: Marked grade of atrophy and moderate to marked grade of lymphocytic infiltration were significantly more frequent in EBVaGCs (74% and 78%, respectively), compared to intestinal-type (49% and 12%)and diffuse-type (27% and 12%) of EBV-negative GCs. Only 13% of EBVaGCs were surrounded by intestinal metaplasia, in contrast to 41% of intestinal-type EBV-negative GCs. Immunohistochemistry revealed nearly the same frequencies of H. pylori infection (70%) in three types of GCs. RNA probe ISH for EBV-DNA failed to identify any positive cells in nonneoplastic mucosa, including intestinal metaplasia. Two of 118 microdissected samples of EBVaGC and 5 of 62 samples of EBV-negative GCs showed amplification of EBV-DNA, consisting of 3 pyloric and 4 fundic but no metaplastic gland samples.CONCLUSIONS: EBVaGC may develop from rare EBV-infected epithelial cells with severe atrophic gastritis, but the process is not directly related to intestinal metaplasia or H. pylori infection.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A kinematic study of the upper-limb motion of wheelchair basketball shooting in tetraplegic adults.

Kinematic aspects of the reduced shooting ability of tetraplegic (TP) wheelchair basketball players were investigated and compared with those of able-bodied (AB) basketball players. TP showed significantly smaller values for the vertical component of ball release velocity (4.26 (degree/s) versus 5.45 (degree/s)) and maximum wrist flexion angular velocity (878.4 (degree/s) versus 1445.9 degrees) than AB. Moreover, for a specific shoulder horizontal adduction motion, a larger range of shoulder abduction motion and larger displacements of the right shoulder were observed in TP. The reduced ball velocity of TP subjects with lesions at the C7 to C8 levels depended on an insufficient wrist flexion angular velocity, where dysfunction of available musculature may be a causal determinant. Further, the specific motions observed in TP subjects most likely maximize the function of available musculature, thereby partially compensating for the dysfunction of the wrist flexor muscles and contributing to resultant ball release velocity.

Adult↗